Shadowed Memories
by Re-Chained Imagination
Summary: Just because Harry and Dudley were saved from Vernon doesnt mean their safe yet. They have a whole new set of problems starting school. Can they stick together, with Hermione in tow. Or will they make a fatal error in who they should trust as a friend and ultimately end the story before it begins? Sequel to The Meaning to Being Saved


**Welcome! For those of you checking this out but haven't read The Meaning Of Being Saved your gonna want to read that first.. Trust me. Well Enjoy!**

_The sounds of the woman shouting his name before she was silhouetted in the nightmarishly toxic green light filled his eyes. Her shriek of pain vibrated through his memories as he held back tears of confused tears. Why was the nice lady being hurt. Why was she crying. The Bad man with the stick was hurting her and there was nothing Harry could do. He needed the nice man to come, or the nice mans friend who someone's was a puppy. Either would due so long as they made the mean one with the stick go away. _

_The toddler sobbed as the light then came towards him, blinding his world for a moment. When everything became to clear the mean man was still there, but Harry was no longer a toddler but a small child. The mean man was standing there and talking to his uncle Vernon, both laughing with cruel dark intent. Knowing deep within his core that they were dangerous Harry turned and began to run up the stairs that did not seem to end. He needed to get to his Aunt Petunia! If he got to her then she would be alive and at least Dudley would have a mother. Harry felt if he could make his cousin happy then maybe the world would be a little bit better for someone. He saw his aunt as finally, after it seemed like forever he reached the top of the stairs. _

"_Harry!" Her shriek of fear filled his ears as she turned and ran, pulling Dudley by an oddly fat hand. _

_Darting forward the upper hall way of the house sudden vanished, Harry feeling very afraid when all he did was fly for a moment….._

Harry never recalled wanted to fly while still half asleep, yet here he was suddenly airborne for a sadly short amount of time before he clattered to the floor in a sore heap, glasses slightly askew as they resettled on his nose. Both the face of a bushy haired girl and stocky boy looked over the edge of the bed and looked down at him with sheepish expressions. It was 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning and they had woken the almost 11 year old up from a dead and rather comfortable sleep. He gave them both a very grumpy, displeased look.

"What's the big idea bouncing me out of bed like a freshly popped piece of popcorn? I was have a rather nice dream…" Not normally a whiner, Harry couldn't help but indulge himself this once as Hermione colored and muttered a heartfelt apology. Dudley just rolled his eyes at his cousin.

"If your gonna act like that and make Hermi' feel bad then we aren't going to give you your letter that came. And then you'll have to go to some muggle school and be bor-"

"My letter came?" Harry quickly interrupted his cousin whom he found like to rant on and on about what might or might not happen. He loved his cousin, honestly he did but some things were more important. Like chocolates, late night tele which none of them should watch and the Hogwarts letter. Oh yes, that letter was right at the top of Harry's list.

Dudley huffed in annoyance and looked at his cousin before offering the letter, the Seal of the four founders showing on the back.

"Yeah yeah, here it is. Take it before I change my mind…."

Harry leaning up and snatched the letter, Hermione and Dudley watching with knowing gazes as the boy ripped into the letter and read. His face broke out into a wide grin as he studied the first page before falling back and laughing with glee. He had been invited to Hogwarts. He was going.. He was going to be a Wizard!

Gregory looked down at the hopeful faces of all three children. They had all presented their letters at the breakfast table, already dressed and hopeful as they pinned him with hopeful expressions. They all wanted to go shopping for their things, and someone was apparently supposed to be by later that afternoon to take them. They just needed his permission and though he was entirely proud that all of them had been invited to Hogwarts he wasn't too sure he was ready to just let go and allow them off to some hidden boarding school in Scotland. Still they all just looked so pitiful with their saddest If-you-don't-let-us-get-our-supplies-we-will-simply-cease-living-here-and-now looks.

Smiling slightly in defeat he finally nodded. He would let them go but on one condition. He was going to go shopping with them to make sure this escort didn't do something foolish and loose one of the three. Gregory had grown rather fond of all the children, blood related or not.

Hagrid had arrived within the hour, the sight of the 8'6 half-giant sending all three children into a state of utter shock. He was so big.. Dudley immediately dropped his gaze to stare at the mans massive shoes and gulped. With one step the man could crush any of them. Dudley had to remember to either too the side or behind this man least he risk becoming a pancake sized splat mark. Hag rid introduced himself politely to Mr. Granger before leading them out. Since so many where going to Dagon Alley he couldn't take his trusted motorbike so instead they all piled into Gregory's minivan which groaned under Hagrid's weight and took off for London.

Their first stop once arriving, after the illustrious meeting with Professor Quirell who gave Harry an unusual headache they all headed down Diagon Alley to Gringotts. Gregory was unsure how he felt with being stared at by a large group of goblins where as Harry was just utterly shocked he had a vault of his own piled with mounds of gold his parents left behind. Taking enough for shopping and what he hopped was enough for the school year Harry turned. Dudley stared at him with mild jealousy before looking away. Having a feeling he might regret it a little more he stopped, grabbed another handful of coins and walked out giving them to his cousin.

"Here. So you can get treats while we're in Hogwarts as well." After an awkward moment between the two boys they piled back into the rollercoaster like cart before going on to the next fault. Before Hagrid got out he gave the four a very pointed look, stating that what they saw here they should keep to themselves, since it was "top secret" and "very important". The children and Gregory nodded solemnly. Soon after they were back out on the streets, heading to Madam Malkins shop for robes. All the children were fitted for robes, luckily avoiding a meeting with Draco Malfoy an his snide comments.

Quickly followed was flourishing and Blots, the quill shop and then to get their cauldrons, Which none of them really wanted after finding the small things were SO heavy!

Then they went on to Olivanders for their most needed instrument in magic making every… their wands. Walking inside the man with wide eyes and the insane, Einstein styled hair looked at the three and smiled.

"Ah, Mr. Dursley, Miss Granger and Mr. Potter.. I wondered when I might be seeing you three." He walked forward and grabbing his measuring tape began to measure every inch of all three children, muttering the inches to himself like a chant. When they were sure he couldn't possibly measure anything else he pulled away and went off, finding stacks and stacks of boxes while the measuring tape kept measuring!

Dudley, though he knew he was a wizard and was comfortable with the idea of magic in theory wasn't entirely sure he liked inanimate objects moving around of their own accord particularly close near him. So in pulling away from the instrument he became the target for Olivander.

The old man stepped forward with a pale, slightly crooked wand and offered it to Dudley.

"Seven inch yew unicorn hair core." Olivander gave Dudley and expectant look before barking "well wave the wand!"

Startled Dudley raise the wand, only to have it snatch right from his hands and promptly offered a second.

"Nine inch Hawthorne with a Troll Heartstring core. Very unique and strong."

Dudley raised it once more, the wand sparking with dark purple sparks all around his head. Olivander made a entirely pleasured sound before taking the wand and handing it over to Gregory for safe keeping. Next he moved on to Hermione, who was decidedly more difficult to find a wand for, but it didn't take 15 minutes when she was finally matched with a 10¾" vine wood, with a dragon heartstring core.

Gregory couldn't help but smile and hold the wand with awe once it was handed over. His baby girls wand.. Then finally it was Harry's. After several wants had been snatched from the boy hand and the boy had made several items shatter or explode he was, cautiously handed a wand. The immediate display in color and lights awed everyone except Olivander who mutter "yikes."

Harry gave him a confused look as the man began to explain that the phoenix who had give the tail feather for his want had given only one other. And the wand that feather had gone into had given Harry his infamous scare. To say they had left the shop more worried than delight would have been an understatement. The awkwardness was shattered when Hagrid appeared with a gift for Harry in the form of a snowy white owl. Gregory silently hoped the thing didn't bite.

**Sorry this chapter wasn't very long or overly detailed. I've been up working on this and the story before this and the installation of my x-men chapter since late last night so I'm feeling rather sick. Next chapter they will be heading to Hogwarts, but I still haven't decided who is going to join them as their fourth member. The thick headed Ronald Weasley or Neville Longbottem in all his hidden potential. Until then, please Review. Ciao!3**


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